Read Online Rebel Temptress (Historical Romance) by Constance O'Banyon - Free Book Online Page A

to Green Rivers. The last few days had been an ordeal, with her aunt's dying and Jordan's coming home on leave, then her sickness and the wedding, and then tonight. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears as she looked at Jordan.
    "Good-bye, Jordan."
    His eyes begged her to forgive him, but she had hardened her heart against him. "Good-bye, darling, do not think too badly of me, but do think of me sometimes.
    She turned her back to him and heard the door open and close softly as he left. Honor did not cry. She had no more tears left. She would close the door of her mind and lock Jordan and Meagan out of her thoughts. As far as she was concerned, neither of them existed for her.
    * * *
    Later in the morning when Darcy came into the room, she was still lying on the bed, staring into nothingness.
    Darcy looked at her suspiciously. "Master Jordan slept in your bed last night, and you still so sick?"
    Honor turned dull eyes to her. "I want you to bring me a tub of hot water and plenty of soap so I can bathe, and then you are never to mention Jordan's name to me again. Is that clear?"
    Darcy puckered her mouth angrily. "What did he do to you? Did he hurt you?"
    "Just do as you are told and do not ask me any more questions," Honor snapped.
    Honor had never talked to Darcy in such a harsh fashion before. Darcy shook her head sadly and went downstairs to heat the water for Honor's bath.
    * * *
    That afternoon when Clayton Daniels came to take Honor to Green Rivers, he found her in the sitting room waiting for him.
    "You are looking better this afternoon, my dear," he told her as he planted a kiss on her cheek. "Are you all packed? Jordan told me to transport any of your belongings that you wanted to take with you. We want you to think of Green Rivers as your home."
    Honor faced him, ready to do battle. "I thank you for your kind offer to share your home with me, but I have reconsidered and I find I do not want to leave Landau."
    "You cannot mean that, Honor. You must still be suffering from the fever. I cannot allow you to remain here alone. Maggie was looking forward to your living with us, and what will Jordan say when he finds out?"
    "I am no longer suffering from the fever as you suppose, but I find I cannot desert the only home I have ever known."
    "It is not proper for a young girl to live alone."
    "You forget I am a married woman now and as such it is perfectly respectable for me to live here."
    "Are you sure you will not reconsider?"
    "No, my mind is made up."
    "Well, I won't say I like the idea, but I do admire your determination. Maybe after you have had some time to be alone you will change your mind."
    Honor smiled. "We shall see." Even though she no longer loved Jordan, she had a deep affection for his father and mother and knew they were acting out of kindness toward her.
    "Honor, did you and Jordan have a little misunderstanding?" Clayton said, studying her closely. "He came home in a very strange mood this morning and said he was returning to his unit."
    "No, I can assure you we did not have a little misunderstanding. "
    Clayton Daniels missed the irony in her voice. "That is good. I would not like you to start off your marriage with a quarrel. By the way, Jordan asked me to give you something. He rode into town this morning especially to get it for you."
    He reached into his pocket and withdrew a black velvet box and handed it to Honor. Honor wanted to refuse the case, knowing what it contained, but Mr. Daniels put it into her hand. She stared down at the ring box.
    "Are you not going to open it?"
    Honor flipped open the box to please her father-in-law. She had no wish to see the ring she knew she would find inside.
    It was a beautiful ring, a huge emerald surrounded by smaller diamonds.
    "My, my, that is a pretty trinket," Clayton Daniels told her. There was a note inside. She did not wish to read it, but Jordan's father watched her expectantly.
    Unfolding the piece of paper, she recognized Jordan's handwriting:
    My